DISNEYLAND PARK

Description

Essentials about Disneyland Park in brief

You can’t leave Los Angeles without visiting Disneyland Park. The amusement park, which opened in 1955, may be a bit outdated in some places, but it’s still one of the most interesting, exciting and fun amusement parks in the world. After all, some 17 million visitors a year can hardly be wrong. Right next to Disneyland Park, by the way, there has been a second amusement park since 2001, the Disney California Adventure Park. So if you’re looking for one (or more) day(s) of fun, excitement and entertainment, you should head for the two Disney parks in Anaheim, south of LA.

The areas of Disneyland Park

Disneyland Park consists of eight so-called “countries” that offer a wide variety of themed attractions.

Main Street, U.S.A.

As in all Disney parks, “Main Street” is the entrance area to the park. Of course, Main Street in Los Angeles is also modeled after a typical American small Midwestern town at the beginning of the 20th century, with pretty Victorian-style houses, streetlights and, of course, souvenir stores en masse. Here, visitors are greeted by various Disney characters and can board the Disneyland Railroad for a 20-minute or so train ride to explore Disneyland Park. Fans of Abraham Lincoln can listen to excerpts from famous speeches by the legendary U.S. president in an audio animation. And old cartoon silent movies are shown at the Main Street Cinema.

Adventureland

If you like adventure travel, Adventureland is the place for you. It’s a world of adventure inspired by Indiana Jones and Tarzan. Probably the most action-packed attraction in Adventureland is Indiana Jones – The Adventure, a ride in a wild rocking jeep through some of Indiana Jones’ adventures. Jungle lovers will get their money’s worth on the Jungle Cruise, a boat ride through an artificial jungle where you are accompanied by (artificial) monkeys, elephants, hippos and tigers. Climbing fans will have fun at Tarzan’s Treehouse, a walk-through seven-story treehouse. And the Enchanted Tiki Room will feature a musical show with dozens of audio-animatronic controlled birds.

New Orleans Square

Those who like the flair of the American South will feel at home on New Orleans Square. The square is modeled on the city of New Orleans in the 19th century. Here you walk through narrow streets and alleys, lined with houses with their typical metal balconies. Roving Dixie bands provide the musical backdrop. Pirates of the Caribbean fans should not miss the attraction Pirates of the Caribbean. This attraction, where you can watch pirates attacking a Caribbean village from a boat, is one of the highlights of Disneyland Park. Things get quite spooky at the Haunted Mansion. A haunting surprise awaits visitors in the haunted house.

Frontierland

Frontierland takes visitors on a journey back in time to the Wild West of the 19th century. Here, Indians, cowboys, trappers, gold miners and other pioneers roam the wild landscapes of the canyons and prairies. Thrills are guaranteed on the Big Thunder Mountain Railroad, a mine train where you whiz through a disused mine in an out-of-control mine car. Those who prefer a more sedate experience can cruise around Tom Sawyer Island on the Mississippi River steamer Mark Twain Riverboat or the sailing ship Columbia. Younger visitors will enjoy the island’s adventure playground.

Critter Country

Winnie the Pooh fans will be drawn straight to Critter Country. In The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh, you drive through the sets of the famous cartoon. Action is also on offer in Critter Country. Splash Mountain offers visitors a fast-paced whitewater ride that even includes a 16-meter waterfall. Cooling down is guaranteed.

Fantasyland

Fantasyland is worth a visit, especially for younger children. Here is the world-famous Sleeping Beauty Castle, which probably reminds German visitors quite a bit of Neuschwanstein Castle. Of course, in Fantasyland you run into the many fairy tale characters from Disney films, from Alice in Wonderland to Peter Pan and Pinocchio to Snow White. All rides in Fantasyland are perfectly suitable for children. Several carousels and boat rides await the little ones here, as well as a funicular and a gondola. Somewhat out of place in Fantasyland are the Matterhorn Bobsleds. From the replica of Switzerland’s most famous mountain, a toboggan takes you through tunnels, glaciers and mountain streams down into the valley.

Mickey’s Toontown

Anyone who has ever been interested in how the Disney characters actually live should check out Mickey’s Toontown. Here, visitors can see Mickey and Minnie’s homes, visit a playground on Donald’s Boat, romp around Goofy’s Playhouse and take a ride through Toontown on the Roger Rabbit Car Toon Spin.

Tomorrowland

Tomorrowland is probably the park area where visitors have the highest adrenaline level. Here, you race through space on the 55-meter-high Space Mountain roller coaster. What makes it more difficult is that it’s dark while you’re doing it. On Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters, you shoot targets out of the vehicles with infrared guns. The Finding Nemo Submarine takes visitors underwater through the set of the animated film Finding Nemo. And Star Tours – The Adventures Continue is a flight simulator featuring 3D film clips from the Star Wars movies.

Other attractions in Disneyland Park

In addition to the main attractions mentioned above, there is of course plenty more to see and experience at Disneyland Park. Magicians, clowns, jugglers and other entertainers run around everywhere on the grounds, entertaining visitors with their tricks and feats. And a Disney park wouldn’t be a Disney park without its huge parades. The parades, which last about half an hour, start in Fantasyland and continue down Main Street. In the summer, there are two parades daily; in the winter, there is only one. The afternoon parade has a current Disney movie as its theme, and the evening parade thrills especially with its light effects. Of course, a day in Disneyland Park must not end without one last highlight, namely a brilliant fireworks display and an impressive laser show.

Practical tips for visiting Disneyland Park

Getting to Disneyland Park

Last but not least, here are a few practical tips for visiting Disneyland Park. Although Anaheim is part of the Los Angeles metropolitan area, you should be aware that the suburb is located about 50 kilometers from downtown LA. Those whose hotel or vacation rental is located in the popular suburbs of Hollywood, Beverly Hills or Santa Monica will have an even further journey. So in the daily traffic madness of Los Angeles, you definitely have to allow an hour or two to get to Disneyland Park. Since most visitors spend the entire day at Disneyland Park anyway, it’s recommended to find a hotel on site in Anaheim for an overnight stay or two. There is a wide range of hotels around Disneyland.

Waiting times at Disneyland Park

During the vacation season and on weekends, Disneyland Park is traditionally very busy. Especially at the popular attractions and rides, long queues can then form. At City Hall on Main Street and at the individual attractions, the approximate waiting times are indicated. This allows visitors to minimize queuing and get the most out of their visit.

By the way, there are two ways to shorten the wait time when there are long lines. With the so-called “Fast Pass”, you can reserve a ticket for an attraction for a specific time. This often shortens the waiting time enormously. Exact information can be found on the website. And another possibility to skip long queues are the so-called “single rider lanes”. These are special queues for single riders that are used as “filler” for rides. For example, if a four-person roller coaster or boat is only filled with three passengers, the last seat is filled with someone from the single-rider lane.